I started programming when I was 7. I'm 50 now and the thing I loved has changed
3 months ago
- #programming
- #AI-impact
- #technology-evolution
- The author started coding at age seven in 1983, understanding every aspect of the machine.
- Reflects on the evolution of computing from the 8-bit era to modern hardware, noting the loss of intimate machine understanding.
- Describes the charm of early computers like the Sinclair Spectrum and Commodore 64, where hardware limitations bred creativity.
- Highlights the shift from hands-on systems engineering to abstracted, user-friendly computing with the advent of Windows and Plug and Play.
- Expresses disillusionment with the tech industry's shift from optimism to surveillance and monetization.
- Discusses adapting to numerous tech shifts over 40 years, emphasizing the transferability of core skills.
- Contrasts past tech transitions with the current AI shift, which changes the nature of programming work.
- Notes the hollow feeling of reviewing AI-generated code rather than crafting solutions directly.
- Critiques the existing abstraction layers in modern development, suggesting AI merely exposes the pre-existing complexity.
- Acknowledges the enduring value of experience and judgment in an AI-driven landscape but mourns the loss of hands-on problem-solving.
- Describes a personal 'fallow period,' questioning the identity and satisfaction derived from programming as the field evolves.
- Concludes by accepting the changing nature of the craft and the need to adapt to new forms of 'magic' in technology.